Speedster's future up in the air with knee injury also expected to sideline him for forthcoming England tour
Mumbai rule Malinga out of IPL
Mumbai Indians fast bowler Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League season with a knee injury.
Mumbai confirmed the news on Twitter, explaining that the Sri Lankan speedster had not overcome the injury as expected and would take no part in the tournament.
Update: MI's star pacer, Lasith Malinga has been ruled out of IPL 2016 due to a knee injury. (1/3)
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 17, 2016
Malinga was expected to miss the first few matches of MI's IPL '16 campaign but the recovery period is longer than previously expected (2/3)
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 17, 2016
MI will now look for a worthy replacement for Lasith Malinga this season. (3/3)
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 17, 2016
Malinga suffered a bone bruise to his left knee in November during Sri Lanka's tour of the West Indies.
Since then the 32-year-old has played only one competitive match, a T20 international against the UAE in February's Asia Cup where he claimed 4-26 from four overs as captain.
But the chronic knee problem never abated, and he was forced to relinquish the national captaincy on the eve of the World T20 before flying home from the tournament early when he re-injured the troublesome joint in a warm-up match against Afghanistan.
It is unclear how long Malinga will spend on the sidelines.
"Mr. Malinga will present himself before the SLC panel of expert doctors on Wednesday (20th) and depending on the outcome of the said medical examinations, be required to face a match fitness grading after which SLC will take the next appropriate steps," a media release stated on the Sri Lanka cricket website.
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Malinga could miss Sri Lanka's forthcoming tour of England as well as their home limited-overs series against Australia in August, leaving his future at the top level clouded.
The slingy right-armer retired from Test cricket in 2010 at the age of 27 after a similar injury to his right knee ruled him out for 18months two years earlier.
The champion fast bowler has taken 470 wickets for Sri Lanka in his 12-year career, and played a key role in guiding his country to the 2014 World T20 title in Bangladesh.